bThe Barnes Noble Review/bbrIn Sujata Massey's eighth installment of her Rei Shimura mystery saga (iThe Pearl Diver, The Samurai's Daughter,/i et al.), the spunky multicultural antiques dealer/amateur sleuth's 30th birthday leads her to some life-changing realizations -- and her biggest adventure yet.pThe morning after Rei's surprise birthday party, she gets an even bigger At a mysterious job interview at the Smithsonian Institution's Sackler Gallery, she is offered a "job" by a State Department official who wants her to locate ancient Near Eastern art that was recently stolen from an Iraqi museum. Rei is integral to the mission's success because her ex-boyfriend Takeo -- a wealthy Japanese collector -- is believed to be in possession of the invaluable collection of Mesopotamian vessels, which includes one of the oldest, greatest antiquities in the world. But once in Japan, her carefully calculated plan is thrown out the window when a typhoon hits and strands her in a remote summerhouse with her ex-lover -- who happens to be engaged to the daughter of a powerful government minister. The damage done by the typhoon is nothing, however, compared to what happens when Takeo's young fianc�e finds them together.pThe many striking differences (and similarities) between American and Japanese cultures -- with the complex Shimura as that cultural amalgam personified -- is the force that powers Massey's saga. Richly described and highly intelligent, these witty and addictively page-turning novels deserve to be read by mainstream fiction and mystery fans alike. Simply Readers will not be able to put these unique novels down. iPaul Goat Allen/i